Disclaimer: I do not own these characters….wish I did…

AN: Chapter 6 is on the way. Working to make it more dramatic! Drum roll…… PLEASE R&R this chapter!

If I could have cried, I would have. My parents walked in, somber and with their heads down. My dad had his arm around my mother, and it seemed like he was supporting her and keeping her upright as Ducky led them into the room. Gibbs stood up, and Tony got up off the ground, both had changed their attitudes and their facial expressions immediately when my parents walked in.

Ducky walked forward for introductions. "Special Agent Gibbs and DiNozzo, these are Caitlin's parents, Marina and Sam.

Gibbs stepped forward, his right hand outstretched to shake my fathers'. "Sir, I was Kate's boss. I want you both to know that you have my deepest and sincerest condolences." He said somberly.

"Thank you very much Agent Gibbs" my father said sadly. "She was our only daughter and I'm sure there was nothing you could do"

"Please, sir, it's Jethro, and don't worry sir, we are going to nail that bastard who did this" he said, the ferocity coming back to life inside him. He glanced over at Tony who nodded back.

"I am Anthony DiNozzo" said Tony stepping forward to meet my parents.

"Anthony…Anthony…hmm…Tony? Ah yes! Kate talked quite a bit about you when she told us about her work at NCIS." He said, a smile protruding through his grief.

"Oh God dad! NO! Be quiet! Tony doesn't need to know that I talked about him! Arghhh, why did he have to mention that!" I thought.

After the introductions were over, the hard part came. Ducky showed my parents over to cooler number 36; a number that is still burned into their memory to this day. He gently pulled the body bag out and unzipped the top. My mother took one look at my gentle face and wailed into her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. My father tried to comfort her, but to no avail really. She was too grief-stricken. I looked over at Gibbs to avoid feeling anymore pain through my parents, and saw him shifting and glancing around. He clearly didn't want to be here. He was embarrassed and angry at himself. He was blaming himself for my death.

My parents and Tony were talking, but I refused to listen. I couldn't take anymore of this! Ducky was comforting Gibbs, who finally was showing his true self. He was no longer the hard-ass, bastard, do it now or you're fired Gibbs, but he was the caring, loving, remorseful, loyal Gibbs that none of us knew.

Eventually my body was put away once more, and everyone went upstairs. The lights were turned off and the room became eerily quiet. I felt all alone. I kept telling myself that this was just a horrible dream, that I was only imaging it and that soon it would all be over when I woke up. What a story it would make to tell Tony! But…..that would never happen. The reality was that it wasn't a dream and I was left facing the fact that I had been killed.

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Later that day after my parents had departed, Ducky and Jimmy came back down to autopsy. My parents had set the funeral date tomorrow at sunset at Arlington National Cemetery. Once my body was on one of the autopsy tables, all my clothes were removed. I bet Gibbs had to tie Tony to a chair to keep him from coming down here I though. Then I felt guilty about thinking that. Tony had really grown up, and my death had obviously affected him the most by-far. I looked back to my body. Ducky had a scalpel some other instrument out on the table, and he was looking over my head.

"Sorry, Caitlin" he said as he began to make tiny incisions into my forehead where the bullet had penetrated. After working for half and hour, Ducky had finally removed the bullet and sent it up to Abby for cleaning and analysis. They were also going to keep it as a personal memorial at the headquarters. Ducky stitched my skin back together around and over the hole, and carefully dyed it so that you would have never known there was bullet there once. Afterwards, one of my business suits was brought down and my body was gently dressed in it. My hands were folded across my chest and my hair was all done up neatly by Abby, who had to stop several times to get tissues. I must admit…I looked almost presentable.

Overnight my body remained there on the table, instead of being put back in the cooler. Jimmy had asked Ducky if he wanted me in the cooler, but he replied that I was to be treated with the utmost respect and asked Jimmy how he would like it if he stuffed his body in a cooler before a funeral. I really admired Ducky. He was amazing; tough to listen to sometimes due to his stories, but he was like a second father to me.

That night at 9pm, Ducky finally left and turned off the lights. I was all alone once more.

Before he got into the elevator though, he looked back one final time. "Rest in peace, Kate. I will see you tomorrow."